the treasure 〉〉 Four Hitchcock chairs
the story 〉〉 These chairs came from my husband’s grandparents. They are stamped with ‘L Hitchcock,’ and we were told they were antiques and to be careful with them. We haven’t been particularly careful and have used them often over the years. Do they have any significant value? Did we make a mistake by letting people sit in them?
what the professionals say 〉〉 One of the foremost leaders in American furniture, the Hitchcock name has been around since the early 1800s. Lambert Hitchcock labeled his chairs with an identifying stencil, and they reflected his strong sense of quality. We can date these chairs to after 1946 as the stenciled name is identical to the original, but features backward ‘N’s’ not seen until JT Kenney revived the Hitchcock name in the middle of the 20th century.
value 〉〉 The name Hitchcock always commands attention from astute collectors. These chairs, with some minor repairs to the seats, would be a fine addition to any room, commanding a retail value of $200 to $400 each for the black chairs and $100 to $200 each for the brown ones.
This month’s expert: Owner Debra Williams and manager Geoff Garrett of Charterhouse.
